Easy Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken: Your Go-To Recipe for Delicious, Healthy Weeknight Meals
Imagine a meal that’s incredibly flavorful, healthier than your favorite takeout, and requires minimal effort to prepare. This easy slow cooker sesame chicken recipe delivers all that and more! It’s quickly become a beloved dish in my family, often made several times a month with hardly any leftovers to speak of. Perfect for busy weeknights, this recipe transforms simple ingredients into a dish that’s both satisfying and delicious.
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Infused with a delightful blend of sweet and savory notes, reminiscent of classic Chinese-style cuisine, this flavorful slow cooker honey sesame chicken boasts a subtle spicy kick. The aromatic hints of fresh ginger and garlic paste elevate the dish, creating a complex flavor profile that will make your taste buds sing. Whether you’re serving it over fluffy jasmine rice, tender noodles, or a light salad, this versatile dish is sure to impress.
Why Choose the Slow Cooker for Sesame Chicken?
The slow cooker truly shines with this sesame chicken recipe. It allows the chicken to cook slowly, resulting in unbelievably tender pieces that practically melt in your mouth. More importantly, it gives all the vibrant flavors – the sweet honey, savory soy, aromatic ginger and garlic, and a touch of barbecue sauce – ample time to meld together, creating a rich, cohesive sauce that perfectly coats every piece of chicken. It’s a hands-off approach that guarantees a deeply infused, delicious outcome, making it ideal for busy schedules where you want a homemade meal without constant attention.
How to Make Healthy Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken Effortlessly
Creating this delicious and healthy slow cooker sesame chicken is incredibly straightforward, making it the perfect choice for a stress-free dinner. The process is divided into two simple stages, ensuring maximum flavor and perfect texture:
- Combine & Cook: You begin by adding bite-sized chicken breast pieces along with all the spices and sauces directly into your slow cooker. Give everything a good stir to ensure the chicken is thoroughly coated in the fragrant marinade. Then, simply set your slow cooker to the low setting and let it work its magic until the chicken is wonderfully tender and fully cooked through. This hands-off cooking method allows the flavors to deepen beautifully.
- Thicken & Serve: Once the chicken is tender, carefully remove the cooked chicken pieces from the slow cooker and set them aside. The liquid remaining in the slow cooker is your precious flavor-packed sauce base! To achieve that perfect, glossy, and thick consistency that clings to the chicken, you’ll create a simple cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water). Stir this slurry into the hot liquid in the slow cooker and continue to cook on high for a short period until it thickens to your desired consistency. Finally, return the tender chicken pieces to the thickened sauce, stir to coat them evenly, and your masterpiece is complete. This truly is an easy weeknight meal that tastes like it took hours of effort!
Perfect Pairings: What to Serve with Your Sesame Chicken
One of the best things about this honey sesame chicken is its versatility when it comes to serving. It pairs wonderfully with a variety of sides, allowing you to customize your meal based on your preferences or dietary needs:
- Rice: Classic and comforting, serve it with fluffy boiled white rice, wholesome brown rice, fragrant jasmine rice, or even a flavorful homemade fried rice for a more elaborate meal. The rice perfectly absorbs the delicious sesame sauce.
- Noodles: For a true takeout experience, toss your chicken with cooked lo mein noodles, ramen, or even thin vermicelli noodles.
- Zoodles (Zucchini noodles): A fantastic low-carb and gluten-free option. Zucchini noodles add a fresh crunch and make for a lighter meal.
- Quinoa: If you’re looking for a protein-rich and nutritious grain alternative, quinoa is an excellent choice that complements the flavors of the chicken.
- Salad: For a very light and refreshing meal, serve your sesame chicken alongside a crisp green salad, perhaps with a ginger-sesame vinaigrette.
Expert Tips for Making PERFECT Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken Every Time
While this recipe is incredibly simple, a few key tips can elevate your crockpot sesame chicken from good to absolutely phenomenal. Pay attention to these details for the best possible results:
- Mind the Chicken Piece Size: For optimal cooking and flavor absorption, ensure your chicken pieces are small, ideally around 1 ½ inches. Smaller pieces will cook faster and more thoroughly, preventing any dry spots and allowing them to soak up more of that delicious sauce.
- Personalize Your Seasoning: Everyone’s palate is different! Feel free to adjust the amount of salt, black pepper, and chili flakes based on your preference. If you love a little extra heat, don’t shy away from adding more crushed red chilies. Taste the sauce before adding the chicken back in if you’re unsure.
- Choosing Your Chicken Cut: While I personally prefer using boneless, skinless chicken breasts for a leaner and easier-to-shred option, some of my friends have successfully made this recipe with boneless chicken thighs or even chicken wings. Chicken thighs will yield a richer flavor and moister texture due to their higher fat content, while wings offer a fun, finger-food experience. Adjust cooking time slightly if using different cuts.
- Incorporate Vegetables for a Complete Meal: To make this a truly one-pot wonder, consider adding washed broccoli florets into your slow cooker halfway through the cooking time. They will steam perfectly in the sauce, absorbing its flavors and adding a healthy green component. Other great options include sliced bell peppers, snow peas, or sliced carrots.
- Don’t Skip Dry Roasting Your Sesame Seeds: This seemingly small step makes a huge difference! Dry roasting sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until lightly golden brings out their nutty aroma and deepens their flavor significantly, providing an irresistible garnish.
- Use Low Sodium Soy Sauce: This is crucial for controlling the overall saltiness of your dish. Regular soy sauce can make this recipe far too salty, overpowering the delicate balance of sweet and savory. Opt for a low sodium version to allow the other flavors to shine.
- Sesame Oil is Non-Negotiable: The distinct, nutty aroma and flavor of sesame oil are fundamental to this recipe’s authentic taste profile. Do not skip it, as it adds an incredible depth of flavor that cannot be replicated by other oils. Add it both to the initial mixture and a tiny drizzle just before serving for maximum impact.
- Understand Slow Cooker Variations: Cooking times can vary significantly based on the brand and model of slow cooker or crock pot you are using. Always monitor your chicken for doneness – it should be tender and easily shredded. I use THIS SLOW COOKER and have found it to be consistently reliable.
- Best Enjoyed Fresh, But Leftovers are Possible: This is one of those meals that truly tastes its absolute best when enjoyed fresh off the slow cooker. However, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Be aware that the sauce will thicken considerably upon cooling. To reheat, I recommend placing it in a non-stick saucepan over low heat and adding a splash of water or chicken broth to loosen the sauce and bring it back to a desirable consistency.
Variations & Customizations
This slow cooker sesame chicken recipe is wonderfully adaptable! Feel free to experiment and make it your own:
- Spice It Up: For those who love more heat, double the crushed red chilies or add a pinch of cayenne pepper. A drizzle of sriracha at the table is also a great option.
- Extra Sweetness: If you have a sweet tooth, a little extra honey or a tablespoon of brown sugar can be added to the sauce mixture.
- Citrus Brightness: A squeeze of fresh orange juice or a teaspoon of orange zest can add a lovely bright, citrusy note that complements the sesame and ginger flavors.
- Gluten-Free Option: Easily make this recipe gluten-free by swapping regular soy sauce for Tamari. Ensure all other sauces (like BBQ sauce) are also certified gluten-free.
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Recipe
Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken
Abeer Rizvi
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Ingredients
- 2½ pounds Chicken breast Cut into small cubes
- 1 cup Honey
- ½ cup Soy sauce Low sodium
- ½ cup Barbecue sauce
- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Oolive oil
- 1 teaspoon Ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon Garlic paste
- ½ teaspoon Crushed red chillies
- 2 tablespoon Onion Finely chopped
- Salt and pepper To taste
- 3 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 3 tablespoon Water
Garnish
- 2 tablespoon Sesame seeds Roasted
- 1 tablespoon Green onions Finely sliced
Instructions
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In a slow cooker, add the chicken pieces, honey, soy sauce, barbecue sauce, sesame oil, olive oil, ginger paste, garlic paste, crushed red chillies, salt and pepper. Mix everything together until the chicken pieces are properly coated.
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Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 2 hours OR until the chicken pieces are cooked thorough.
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Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and keep it aside in a bowl. DON’T throw out the liquid in your slow cooker.
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In a small bowl, mix together cornstarch and water and add this mixture into the slow cooker. Mix it thoroughly.
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Cover the lid and cook on high for 15-20 minutes OR until the sauce thickens.
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Add the chicken pieces into the sauce and mix until fully coated.
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Garnish with roasted sesame seeds and green onions.
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Serve over rice and enjoy!
Notes
- Read my tips above.
- This tastes best when it’s fresh but leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. The sauce will probably be very thick. I recommend heating on low heat in a non-stick saucepan with a splash of water.
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
Ready to Enjoy Your Homemade Takeout?
This slow cooker sesame chicken is more than just a recipe; it’s a game-changer for anyone looking to enjoy restaurant-quality Asian flavors from the comfort of their home, without the added preservatives or excessive oil often found in takeout. With minimal prep and the magic of your slow cooker, you can achieve incredibly tender chicken bathed in a rich, perfectly balanced sauce. It’s healthy, delicious, and guaranteed to become a family favorite.
So go ahead, give this recipe a try this week. You’ll be amazed at how simple it is to create such a spectacular meal that everyone will love. Don’t forget to customize it to your liking and share your creations with us!
Well, that’s all for today.
Until next time, tata my lovelies!